Extremely Delayed IMNC Race Report
I'm finally getting around to posting my race report for IMNC. Here are the stats, not particularly impressive, but for my first IM it was everything I hoped for: swim 1:07:24; bike 3:32:46; run 5:18. My transition times were unbelievably slow, but since I was just looking to finish that's just time that can be picked up at my next IM. The point to point thing and having to rummage through my admittedly overstuffed and disorganized transition bags didn't help anything.
The take-away was that it was one of the most enjoyable races I've ever done. I took it so easy based upon my heart rate that I didn't come close to suffering at any point during the race. Obviously I left a lot of time on the course, and didn't get the full Ironman experience perhaps, but I had fun and finished knowing that I'd be back.
The biggest hurdle at IMNC was that they cut the bike down to 56 miles. That threw me mentally, but I was fortunate enough to run into someone the day before the race who brought their own trainer. I decided that, come hell or high water, I was going to find a trainer someplace and finish the last 56 miles on a trainer. We went to check in at the expo, and I left the line and started asking the bike vendors who were there. I eventually found someone who was willing to sell me a used fluid trainer for $100. At that point I had sunk so much into an IM that an extra $100 was no big deal. I did get some strange looks in the line to sign in carrying my bike trainer with me. The initial plan was to set up outside of my hotel after the race was over, but then I heard that the Base Performance was holding a group trainer ride after the race finished. The set-up turned out to be overlooking the finish line, there was music blaring, people cheering and just an all around good time. Unfortunately only about 30 people heard about it. For me it "saved" my IM. It was so heartbreaking to go to the finisher's breakfast the next day and hear people saying they didn't consider themselves a "real Ironman" because they had not completed the full distance. I'm really grateful that I had the opportunity to.
The swim started with my goggles breaking, and me having to swim back to the start line and eventually find a new pair of goggles. After I got back in the water I just put it into overdrive, and with the current assisting me, the buoys were flying by. Hopped on the bike, and as I'm sure you've heard the winds were fierce. Thanks to Rich's advice, I held steady to my HR threshold and didn't sweat the fact that the wind slowed me down considerably.
I also kept to my HR threshold on the run, which meant a great deal of walking at the beginning. At around mile 8 I started to be able to run steadily without exceeding my threshold, and at 13 I was feeling like it was time to crank it up. But then I realized that I was having a great time; my time was kind of meaningless given the distance; so I just chose a suffer-buddy and we finished the last 13 together. Had a great time, and was a lot slower than I could have been 1:15 slower than my marathon this May, but who cares (besides, I still had to hop on the trainer for 56 more miles). All in all, a great race. It's a real shame that they discontinued the full distance.